


All These Things That I've Done

by willowwand



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Book 6: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, F/M, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-29
Updated: 2016-05-29
Packaged: 2018-07-11 00:43:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7017295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/willowwand/pseuds/willowwand
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Half-Blood Prince Missing Moment. Annoyed with her brother Ron,  Ginny Weasley decides to play a bit of a prank on his girlfriend Lavender, to get back at him.</p><p>First published on the now-defunct R/Hr (Romione) website Checkmated on February 7, 2006</p>
            </blockquote>





	All These Things That I've Done

 “What do you know about this, Ginny?”

 

 “Why do you care, Ron?”

 

 Ginny was sitting at a table near the entrance of the Gryffindor common room, flipping mindlessly through a copy of _Witch Weekly_. Her older brother was standing beside her chair, sputtering as he attempted to think of an appropriate answer to her question.

 

“Hermione’s my best mate,” he said finally.

 

“That’s funny,” she replied, not looking up from the magazine. “I was under the impression that she wasn’t speaking to you.” Ron scowled at this, but Ginny continued.

“Besides, Harry’s her best mate as well and I don’t see him present at this interrogation.”

 

She _almost_ laughed at the face Ron made as he tried to think of a way to counter that. Almost. Truth be told, his presence was wearing on her already frazzled nerves. She had been up late the night before consoling Ron’s “best mate,” for the umpteenth time since the prat had gone and snogged Lavender Brown in full view of everyone in the Gryffindor common room. Then tonight, Dean had outright refused to let her go with him and Seamus to practice for a few hours on the Quidditch pitch. He had said that it was too dangerous for her to be out after dark, as if she were some little child who couldn’t possibly protect herself. Ginny had to use every ounce of strength within her not to hit him with a Bat-Bogey hex. Nevertheless, she was still fuming and Ron was becoming dangerously close to becoming the recipient of said hex. _Not that he didn’t deserve it, the git._

 “Look, Ginny, McLaggen’s a prat. Hermione shouldn’t be going out with smarmy blokes like him. I’ve heard...rumors, about things he’s done with girls.”

 

“Yes,” she sighed. “I know about that as well.”

           

“How do _you_ know?”

 

 Shaking with fury, Ginny slammed the magazine down and stood to get a better view of her brother.  He was at least a foot taller than she was, but shrank at the hard look on her face. “I do not appreciate what your tone is implying. I know about it the same way you know about it. People talk.”

 

“Sorry,” he mumbled. “But how can you be ok with her going out with him after hearing those things?”

 

To be honest, Ginny was very uncomfortable with the notion of Hermione going out with McLaggen. She knew Hermione was only doing it to make Ron jealous, but McLaggen had a reputation of being a bit pushy. Even though she knew that Hermione was a capable witch, she was a little apprehensive. Still, she wasn’t going to let Ron know that.

 

 “It’s her business. She can take care of herself,” she said casually.

 

 Ron snorted. “He’s twice her size. What if he tries something? If he does, so help me…”

 

Ginny rolled her eyes and attempted to block out her brother’s muttered litany of threats. As far as she was concerned, Ron had no right to stand there and complain after taking up with Lavender.

 

 “Where’s your girlfriend?” Ginny interrupted, in a bored voice.

 

“She’s not my girlfriend.”

 

“Could have fooled me the way you’ve been snogging her face off.”

 

“Thought you’d be happy about it, Gin. Doesn’t seem like I’m so inexperienced anymore,” Ron sneered.

 

Ginny’s eyes widened. “You prat, is that what all this is about? Because I said you were inexperienced? Bloody hell, Ron. I was hacked off at you. I didn’t mean for you to launch yourself at the first girl…”

 

Hermione chose that very moment to descend the stairs of the girls’ dormitory. Ginny cut off her words immediately as Ron’s focus was drawn to Hermione. It seemed that nothing short of a Death Eater attack in the middle of the common room could distract him.

 

Hermione looked lovely in her dress robes. They were a soft blue that nearly matched the color of Ron’s eyes. She hadn’t bothered to do anything with her hair. It was as loose and bushy as ever.

 

She scanned the common room. Ginny noticed she had been doing that a lot lately to avoid seeing Ron and Lavender going at it. When she noticed Ginny and Ron talking near the portrait hole, she donned her biggest smile and made her way across the common room to where McLaggen was waiting. Ginny felt Ron tense up next to her. He clenched his hands into tight fists and fixed McLaggen with a scowl he normally reserved for when someone mentioned Viktor Krum.  

 

McLaggen placed his hand on the small of Hermione’s back, perhaps a little too low to be an entirely friendly gesture, and led her out of the common room. As they passed where Ginny and Ron were standing, Ginny heard McLaggen humming “Weasley is our King.” Ron apparently heard it too, because his scowl intensified into a murderous glare. Hermione shot Ginny a sad smile before she disappeared through the portrait hole with her date.

 

Ron swallowed hard and unclenched a fist just long enough to run his hand through his hair.

 

“I’m going up to bed,” he said, in a shaky voice.

 

She knew he was fighting to suppress his rage and wondered what inanimate object in his dormitory was going to be punished for Hermione going to Slughorn’s party with McLaggen.

 

As Ron vanished up the stairs to his dormitory, Ginny sighed, feeling guilty that he had taken her words so seriously. Still, it didn’t make complete sense. If he merely wanted to prove Ginny wrong then why didn’t he go and snog Hermione? _There must be more to it than that._ Ginny sighed and flipped the magazine open again. She wasn’t in the mood to worry about her brother’s love life at the moment, or any moment really.

 

She had just gotten back to her reading when she heard the portrait hole swing open again accompanied by squeals of laughter.  She narrowed her eyes at the pair of girls now entering the common room.

 

“Honestly,” Parvati said. “She should have done something about that hair.”

 

“I know,” Lavender giggled. “Did you see...”

 

Lavender cut her comment short at the sight of Ginny. She glanced around the room and pouted. Then, she whispered something to Parvati, who nodded and headed toward the girls’ dormitory. Much to Ginny’s displeasure, Lavender approached her.

 

“Hi Ginny, have you seen Ron anywhere?”

 

“He went up to bed,” Ginny said, continuing to flip the pages of _Witch Weekly_.

 

 Lavender sighed. “Do you know if he’s feeling okay? He’s been out of it ever since dinner.”

 

Ginny suppressed a smirk. Ron _had_ been upset since dinner, ever since Hermione announced her date with McLaggen. Lavender really was thick. “He seemed perfectly fine to me. Maybe he’s only ill when he’s around you.”

 

She hadn’t meant to say that aloud, but she was reaching the end of her tether.  

 

“Ginny, listen. Ron and I are together. You and I may as well like each other. Besides, you never know what the future may hold,” she giggled.

 

Ginny rolled her eyes. Lavender and Ron had been together, if you could even call it that, for a week. Was she seriously planning a future with him?

 

“Anyway, I just wanted to ask you something,” Lavender said.

 

“What is it then,” Ginny sighed.

 

“It’s just… it’s our first Christmas together.”

 

Ginny suppressed a snort.

 

“I wanted to get Ron something special…something that lets him know how much I fancy him. Can you think of anything he’d want?” she asked.

 

Ginny shrugged. “You’d have to ask him.”

 

“I wanted it to be a surprise,” Lavender said, brightly. “I tried to ask Hermione…”

 

Ginny narrowed her eyes again. “…but she doesn’t appear to be speaking to me. Do you know why that is?”

 

“No,” Ginny snapped.

 

“Strange, that. I thought you and Hermione were close,” Lavender said, haughtily. “But that’s not what I’m here to find out. Are you sure you can’t think of anything Ron would want?”

 

Ginny could actually think of something he’d want and it was sitting upstairs in Hermione’s trunk. Hermione had managed to get Ron a Quaffle signed by Polaris Persimmon, the Keeper of the 1892 Cannons, the very last Cannons team to win the league title. She had found out that the elderly Persimmon was going to be signing autographs before an exhibition match in which Viktor Krum was playing. She had asked Krum if he would kindly ask Persimmon to sign the Quaffle Hermione had bought.

 

Ginny frowned. Hermione knew her brother so well. Lavender obviously had no idea what he liked. She probably didn’t even know the Cannons were Ron’s favorite team. Ginny was just about to tell Lavender to sod off when her eye caught a jewelry ad in the Owl Order section in the back of _Witch Weekly_. The item that grabbed her attention was a thick, gold-plated necklace with a large charm that read _My Sweetheart_. Ginny cracked an evil grin worthy of Fred and George.

 

“There’s only one way to let a bloke know how you feel about him,” Ginny said, handing her the magazine. “Put it in writing.”

 

“Oh,” she squealed. “It’s lovely.”

 

Ginny tried to keep her face free of expression, though she could hardly believe anyone on earth would believe this could be considered lovely.

 

“It’s lovely,” Lavender repeated, shaking her head. “But I’ve never seen Ron wear jewelry before.”

 

“That’s only because he’s never had a girlfriend to give him any. It’s the perfect way to express your feelings,” Ginny said, matter-of-factly.

 

“Are you getting one for Dean, then?” Lavender asked.

 

Ginny frowned, thinking that maybe she should after the way he had treated her that night. “Er, no. I already got Dean’s gift. I just noticed the ad today.”

 

“You know,” Lavender said, thoughtfully. “I think this might just be the perfect gift. It’s exactly the thing to tell him how I feel. Thanks, Ginny. I’ll send out an owl first thing in the morning.”

 

Lavender darted up the stairs to the girls’ dormitory. Ginny picked up the magazine once more and began reading. Not even five minutes had passed when she heard the portrait hole creak open again. She looked up, hoping it wasn’t Dean and Seamus back from the pitch. Her mood had begun to lift, but if her boyfriend returned now it would only cause a relapse. Luckily, it wasn’t them. Instead, a very flustered and angry-looking Hermione walked in.

 

“You’re back early,” Ginny said.

 

Hermione shook her head ruefully and made for the stairs.

 

“Are you all right, Hermione? What happened?” Ginny exclaimed, now wishing she had warned Hermione off McLaggen.

 

“Nothing,” Hermione sighed. “Right when we got to the party he practically attacked me under the mistletoe.”

 

“What did he do?”

 

“He stuck his tongue down my throat, and I nearly gagged. Luckily, I managed to get away and hide among the other guests for a while. He spotted me though, so I had to Confund him and run back here.”

 

“Blimey, Hermione,” Ginny gasped, surprised that she would do such a thing, but at the same time was glad that her friend could take care of herself.

 

“I wish I’d just stayed upstairs tonight instead,” Hermione said, shaking her head sadly. “It’s my own fault for wanting to make Ron jealous.”

 

“If it helps, you succeeded at that. He was in a right state. He even went up to bed shortly after you left.”

 

Hermione gave Ginny a weak smile. “Bet Lavender was happy about that.”

 

Ginny rolled her eyes. “Oh no, it gave her the opportunity to come talk to me.”

 

“What about?”

 

“She wanted to know what to get Ron for Christmas?”

 

“What did you tell her?” Hermione asked, curiously.

 

“I told her he wanted a girlfriend with more than only two brain cells to rub together,” Ginny said, with a wicked grin.

 

“Oh, Ginny, you didn’t,” Hermione said, the corners of her mouth twitching into a smile.

 

“I’m only joking,” she said, shaking her head. “But, I should have. Right stupid, that one.”

 

Hermione sighed and looked at her hands. Ginny was sure her friend was going to cry again.

 

Instead, Hermione took a deep breath and said, “I’m surprised to see you alone. When you said you weren’t going to the party I thought you and Dean wanted to spend some time alone together before Christmas holiday.”

 

“Yes. I thought so too, but he’s been avoiding spending time alone with me since the incident in the corridor a couple weeks ago,” Ginny scowled. “I suspect Ron threatened him somehow. Anyway, he and Seamus went down to the Quidditch pitch to practice.”

 

“Wait a minute,” Hermione said. “What incident in the corridor?”

 

“Didn’t Harry tell you…or Ron?” Ginny asked.

 

“Ron hasn’t said much of anything to me since I invited him to Slughorn’s party,” Hermione said sadly.

 

Ginny’s eyes widened. “What? You never told me you asked him.”

 

“I told you I was going to.”

 

“But you didn’t tell me that you actually did it.” 

 

Hermione shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. He said he’d go and for a few days things were fine. A bit awkward, perhaps, but fine. All of a sudden, he was snapping at me for no apparent reason. And then…”

 

As Hermione’s voice trailed off, the truth hit Ginny like a couple of Bludgers to the head. It was all her fault. Well, not _all_ her fault. She definitely didn’t force her idiot brother to snog Lavender. Nevertheless, the words she said in that corridor came flooding back to her. She had told him Hermione had snogged Krum. _That’s_ why he kissed Lavender. It wasn’t because she ridiculed about him being inexperienced, but because he was getting back at Hermione. Ginny covered her face with her hand and rubbed her forehead.

 

“Are you all right, Ginny?” Hermione inquired, concern etched on her face.

 

Ginny’s stomach tightened with guilt. “I’m fine. Just a bit tired.”

 

Hermione smiled sympathetically. “I understand. The workload is terrible in fifth year. Oh, and I kept you up so late last night. I should have been more considerate…”

 

Ginny cut Hermione off, feeling guilty for her being so kind after the mess she had made. “No, Hermione, it’s fine. I have all of Christmas holiday to get my work done.”

 

“You sound just like Ron,” Hermione sighed.

 

Ginny frowned. There was no doubt in her mind that she had done some serious harm. Saying stupid things in the heat of the moment was practically a Weasley trait, one right up there with the red hair and freckles. She couldn’t even begin to think of how to fix what she had done. She figured Ron would inevitably come to his senses. It was obvious how much he fancied Hermione. It wouldn’t be long before he’d forget about this nonsense and ditch Lavender. For the moment, however, she knew she had to find some way to cheer Hermione up.

 

“So, what did you tell Lavender?” Hermione asked, carefully.

 

Ginny broke into a grin again. “Come on up to my room, and I’ll tell you everything.”

 

“Are you sure you wouldn’t rather wait for Dean to return?”

 

Ginny stood, snatched up the copy of _Witch Weekly_ , and thrust it into Hermione’s hands. “Page one hundred and eleven,” she said, heading for the staircase.

 

Hermione looked puzzled, but followed her upstairs flipping the magazine pages as she went. Maybe Ginny couldn’t fix this mess, but for now, she could at least give Hermione a laugh.


End file.
